–Andrea Ressler, Bluffton University
“Everything is changing,” said Steve Kriss, director of communication and leadership cultivation for the Franconia Conference of Mennonite Church USA, to Bluffton University students and community members during the institution’s weekly Forum series on Sept. 16. “You’ll be in a web of relationships and connected like no generations before you. You’ll rethink how you understand families, lives, actions and behaviors. Your whole life will be redefined.” Learning to embrace uncomfortable moments, as well as resulting change in the church was the basis for Kriss’ presentation, “Stumbling Toward and Glimpsing a Real Future in the Present Moment.”
As director of communication and leadership cultivation, Kriss works with Mennonite churches to develop individuals’ leadership potential and multiethnic faith communities. In working with multiethnic churches and settings which he acknowledges it can be challenging, as language barriers and ethnocentrism factors in. “Individuals need to recognize that their given nationality and tongue isn’t better than another’s, rather it is different,” said Kriss. “De-centering and recognizing the needs of others is an important part of the growth process of both individuals and churches.”
As Christians, Kriss said individuals are called to follow Jesus—a calling that can be uncomfortable. “One’s faith, life and ability to love are what bring Christians into reality,” he said. “If Christians can not break the barriers between what is going on in the world and what is happening to us on a personal level, then we will not be able to figure out the way in the church in a new day,” said Kriss. A shift toward multiethnic churches forces members to rethink how they have always done things. Kriss reminded the audience that the gospel calls Christians to be teachers, students and servants all at once and all the time.
Kriss spoke about the Philadelphia Praise Center, in Philadelphia, Pa., a church that incorporates Spanish, English, Mandarin and Indonesian languages during its services. This church experience requires growth by the individuals speaking and those listening, as all are reliant upon translation at some point. What is important is that individuals be willing and able to represent the Good News to others, even if the manners in which they are sharing are new and different.
Kriss suggested that “being the church” involves trying to figure out the “complex issues to following Jesus in a complex world.” “Languages are complex,” he said, “and pushing yourself to embrace them is pushing yourself to expand the kingdom of God.”
In closing, Kriss said that Christians are invited to experience God in ways that are different from their own. “We are invited to do the unfolding of the reign of God in this time,” said Kriss. “We are invited to be uncomfortable and to figure out what it means to be in the church; to be in the place of the real and now.”
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.